Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-10-06
gress and 9akptaiaa
uFAn TERRITORY.

M = 1890 |
Annual Report Of the Commission.
Winch Two Mrmb. RS itefuse to
sign.
Washington, OCT. 3-G. L Godfrey,
Alb. Williams and Arthur l.. Thomas,
constituting a msjorlty of ths Utah COM
mission, nav flied with the secretary of
the interior the annual report OF the
commission. Commissioners Carlton and
McOlernand, dissenting from many OF
the views expressed therein, do not sign
the report. The report says:
The population OF the territory ID es-
timated 81 zoe. 600, a gain of nearly sixty
Thousand since 1880. The valuation OF
the property assessed is $35, 665, 2O2.
The prosperity of the past seven years
has been equal to that Of any former
period in the history of the territory.
In April the Mormon population Of
Utah. Idaho, Arizona. Wyoming. New
Mexico. NeuAdn and Colorado was 1872
3s3, officially claesed as follows:
First presidents. Priests.-.-..... s,42s
f fssss.ss j. j D bsssasss...:. { s.s 81
H aissrs p5 s !. s,i5s Children andsr 8 - asa
The total church population of Utah
was 1872 .297. The fittings for 1880 were
$549. 000. The strength of a non-Mormon
element is $4,000. This element now
owns OF the assessed property Of the
territory nearly one-third, exclusive OF
railroad property. The religious de-
nominations have now in Utah sixty
two churches. These churches have
established and control eighty -seven
schools with an aggregate of 6 668 pupils
and 240 teachers. Since the passage Of
the Edmunds law in 1882, 54l persons
have been indicted for unlawful cohabi-
tation and 1875 convicted. The number
convicted of polygamy was four
teen Many of the persons in
dioted have fed to escape arrest. In the
enforcement of the law the officers OF the
federal courts in Utah are entitled to
special oommendatiop. The national
laws, relating to bigamy and
polygamy hsYe been 10 effec-
tive operation for about three
years, The Mormon leaders and
their obedient followers have made nc
concessions to its supremacy, and the
issue !s squarely maintained between as
sumed revelation an the laws Of the
land. The commission regards the state
movement an effort to free the Mormon
church from the tolls which the firm at
titude OF the government and the ener.
getia course OF the federal officers have
thrown around it, and opposes its con-
summation. During the past year the
names OF 81 men have been reported tt
the commission as having entered int
polygamy. The commission renews it,
recommendations of last year, excep
such as were enacted into laws at The
last session OF congress. The commits
sion recommends that authority be con.
ferred upon the governor to sppoin,
seiectmen. clerks, assessors, recorder
and superintendent of district schools
The commission submits that in i'll
opinion the results which haYe followed
from the passage OF the Edmunds &C
have been very beneficial to the territory
1t has provided o fair, honest and order
~ system of elections. and it 10 univers
ally conceded by Mormons .ani non
Mormons that there has been no eharg,
nor eyen rumor OF fraud in connection
with the registration of votes and thu
conduct of elections since the commits,
sion first commenced it's work.